With water level depleting fast in the Palar River, residents of
Tambaram and Pallavaram are facing an acute shortage in drinking water
supply before peak summer.

Residents claim they used to get water
once in every three days. But now they get supply hardly once in a week.
Palar River is the major source for drinking water supply in Pallavaram
and Tambaram municipalities.

“There are fresh lakes in
Pallavaram. We can get more water, if we deepen them. Only a
comprehensive water scheme can ensure uninterrupted water supply to
people here for the next two or three decades,” says Narasimhan, a
resident of Pallavaram and a former councillor.

In Pallavaram,
residents claim the flow and the pressure of water have drastically come
down due to depletion in the water source.

“The tanks usually become full as there will be good flow. But now, it doesn’t,” says Kannan, another resident.

M
Karikalan, the Tambaram  municipal chairman, says at present they have
received about 87 lakh litres against the regular volume of 1.25 crore
litres. To make up for the rest, the municipality has come up with
proposals, some of which are already being worked on.

“We are
setting up 12 new borewells for acquiring 30 lakh litres. Two new sumps
with one lakh litre capacity each on Mudichur Road and Thiruneermalai
have also been proposed. We do supply water once in every three days,”
he adds.

He adds that the existing distribution system will also
have to be revamped at a cost of Rs 55 crore and a proposal has been
sent to the State Government in this regard. “The pipelines were set up
in the 1960s. Sometimes, we have to stop water supply as the pipes can’t
withstand the pressure and develop cracks. We will change them
gradually so that the supply is not affected,” he adds. The Municipality
was also in talks to start a pilot project to supply water 24×7 to the
people.